The Frugal Traveler: How To Turn Your Travel Experiences Into Cold Hard Cash

We wanted to extend a Middle East tour, but a shrinking budget threatened to halt our plans. An international teaching position in Kuwait solved the cash crunch with paid housing and utilities, annual roundtrip airfare, a relocation allowance and an attractive salary. Additional regional travel opportunities and numerous freelance tutoring offers sweetened the deal.

The lesson plan: Whether you're flying over local or international borders, it's possible to make money while traveling. Here are a few strategies:

Second-hand cash: Treasure hunt while you travel. Thrift shops and outdoor markets can be a source of unusual souvenirs and cash. Hand-made crafts, antique jewelry and vintage clothing can be purchased, packed and resold through online auctions, including eBay and ShopGoodwill.com, the online marketplace for Goodwill Industries. We have friends who have made money hunting for antiques, books and music during vacation trips.

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Writing: Start a travel blog to document your trips. Passive income can be earned from advertising networks such as Chitika or Google, affiliate sales programs and paid advertisements for high-traffic blogs. Online writing samples can lead to freelance assignments.

Network: Whether you are in sales or customer service, you can develop profitable leads during an out-of-town trip. Seminars, retreats and industry conferences offer opportunities to acquire new contacts or to spend face time with customers from other markets. Check in with industry trade associations or local civic groups.

On the fly: Pick up paying gigs as you go. The International Educator (www.tieonline.com) features classified ads from schools around the world offering tax-free salaries, relocation allowances, plane tickets and paid housing for certified classroom teachers. Native language speakers can teach business and conversational English with job leads from the ESL Cafe and seriousteachers.com. Not a teacher? Not a problem. Anyworkanywhere.com lists jobs around the world for nearly any type of work, including management, driving and delivery, resort staff, tour guides and more.

Telecommute: Worldwide Work at Home provides online listings of telecommuting positions such as telemarketing, customer service, and online tutoring, making it possible for long-term house sitters and full-time RV folks to stay on the road while earning money.

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